This pilot version of the Recommended Code of Governance for Schools was published by the Wellcome Trust in October 2012. It is aimed at providing school governors and senior leaders with a robust yet flexible framework they can use to set the strategic direction for their school, and that governors can use to hold...

Published by the Wellcome Trust in October 201, this report looks at how one-year postgraduate Initial Teacher Training (ITT) courses in England and Wales support trainees’ acquisition of subject knowledge and topic specific pedagogy across the sciences.

The study, which was the first of its kind to look...

A Catalyst article about aluminium, a shiny silvery metal, which is extracted from its ore by electrolysis. Further addition of other metallic elements results in an alloy, which can be cast into various shapes using moulds. The article looks at the processes of extraction, casting, patterns, moulds and finishing...

This report from Ofsted looks at low level classroom disruption. Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector (HMCI) raised concerns about low-level disruption in schools in his Annual Report 2012/13. As a consequence, guidance to inspectors was tightened to place greater emphasis on this issue in routine inspections. In addition...

A Catalyst article describing how new materials can be designed by studying natural materials and how they work. In particular the development of Velcro, military fabric, swimwear and waterproofing is looked at. These products were developed by scientific study of natural products such as plant burrs, pinecones,...

A Catalyst article about the use of tiny electronic sensors to monitor the movement of people. As electronic devices get smaller and more powerful, they are finding new uses in monitoring human activity. This article describes a project to develop sensors with uses in medicine, sport and electronic gaming.

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A Catalyst article investigating if mobile phones produce harmful radiation. The short article compares the view points of a concerned parent, protester, scientist, official report and a complacent citizen.

This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2005, Volume 16, Issue 1.

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A Catalyst article about chemical reactions that occur in a blast furnace during the steelmaking process. This short article features a diagram of a blast furnace showing the active ingredients used to produce iron from ore.

This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2006, Volume 16, Issue 3.

The aim of this survey was to evaluate the effectiveness of actions taken by local authorities in relation to children and young people who are missing from education or in danger of becoming so. It considers whether legislation and guidance support the local authorities effectively in protecting and educating them...

A Catalyst article about the work of Damian Murphy a music technologist. Acoustics and sound are examined in addition to the physical modelling and acoustics of buildings and environments, both real and virtual.

This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2007, Volume 17, Issue 3.

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This Catalyst article is about using computer models which use natural selection to evolve new products. Computers can be used to simulate evolution showing how some species die out and how others evolve and thrive. Products used by humans in everyday activities also evolve and this article describes how their...

This report from Ofsted looks at the provision for excluded pupils. Schools and local authorities are required to provide full-time and suitable education for pupils from day six of fixed-period and permanent exclusions. This survey evaluates the extent to which a sample of schools and local authorities were...

A Catalyst article about a brilliant new light source under construction in the heart of the Oxfordshire countryside - the Diamond Light Source. Diamond will be a source of synchrotron light. Many of the everyday commodities people take for granted, from chocolate to cosmetics, from revolutionary drugs to surgical...

A Catalyst article about diamonds. The element carbon exists in a number of allotropic forms, but diamonds have always held a special allure, whether it be for their hardness or for their transparency. The article examines how they can be made artificially and looks at some of their uses.

This article is...

A Catalyst article about people who believe that their health is affected by mobile phone radiation. The World Health Organisation has labelled this condition Idiopathic Environmental Intolerance with attribution to Electromagnetic Fields (IEI-EMF). Idiopathic describes a disease with no known cause. The article...